KEY POINT
- Sheila Greenberg, 85, and Norman Greenberg, 97, filed their lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court on May 11.
- The couple alleges that gold coin purchases totaling approximately $2.1 million were worth only $1.3 million.
- Von Detten, known for The Princess Diaries and Toy Story, now works in finance, according to a 2021 interview with E! News.
The lawsuit names von Detten, 44, and Rosland Capital LLC, the precious metals company where he works as a broker. The Greenbergs are seeking $900,000 in damages, recovery of their alleged losses and punitive damages. Court records list the case as pending.
According to the complaint, the couple first contacted Rosland Capital in 2020 after seeing a television advertisement. They were subsequently connected with von Detten and say they disclosed having approximately $2 million in retirement accounts while acknowledging their limited knowledge of gold investments.
The Greenbergs initially placed two orders for Lady Liberty gold coins worth approximately $1 million combined. They allege that the coins were sent to Delaware Depository for storage rather than delivered directly to them. According to the complaint, they also paid recurring charges for storage and account maintenance.
The couple further alleges that von Detten later purchased approximately $1 million in additional coins on their behalf. They claim they eventually discovered that substantial markups meant the coins were worth considerably less than the amount they had paid.
Their complaint accuses Rosland Capital of exploiting older customers’ financial concerns by presenting gold and other precious metals as stable investments. However, these assertions remain allegations in a pending civil case and have not been established as court findings.
The complaint outlines five claims against von Detten and Rosland Capital: violations of California’s Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act, intentional misrepresentation or concealment, breach of fiduciary duty, constructive fraud and conversion.
The plaintiffs have requested a jury trial. The case was assigned to Judge Bradley S. Phillips, with a case management conference scheduled for November 9 at 8:30 a.m. in Santa Monica.
USA TODAY reported that it contacted representatives for von Detten and the Greenbergs’ lawyer for comment. The supplied report does not include a response from either defendant addressing the allegations.
Rosland Capital subsequently filed for bankruptcy, according to the report. The available information does not establish how the bankruptcy may affect the couple’s efforts to recover their claimed losses.
Von Detten became familiar to audiences through several Disney productions. He portrayed Josh Bryant in the 2001 film The Princess Diaries, starring Anne Hathaway and Julie Andrews, and played Andy Brinker in the sports film Brink!. He also voiced Sid in Toy Story and appeared as Clu Bell in So Weird.
His career later moved away from Hollywood and toward financial services. In a March 2021 interview with E! News, von Detten explained that inconsistent acting employment motivated him to pursue a more stable career at age 25. He said he had remained with the same company since joining it and had advanced into a management position.
The lawsuit therefore concerns financial dealings connected to his later professional career rather than his previous acting work.
The court’s online records list the lawsuit as pending, with the November 9 conference scheduled in Santa Monica. The plaintiffs are seeking financial compensation, but the supplied information does not indicate that the court has determined liability or awarded damages.
The allegations against von Detten and Rosland Capital remain unresolved.
